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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28459305">Kiss me at midnight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yougaythen/pseuds/Yougaythen'>Yougaythen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ballum, EastEnders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Hurt/Comfort, Kathy And Phil are mentioned, Strangers to Lovers, but nothing in much detail, mentions of blood and alcohol</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:01:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,600</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28459305</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yougaythen/pseuds/Yougaythen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Ben is working and Callum gets hurt he takes him home and takes care of him, they share a kiss at midnight to bring in the new year.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ballum - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Kiss me at midnight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was part of a prompt ‘They meet when Ben sees Callum walk into a street sign’</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The bustling streets of London were never Ben’s favourite, from the moment he leaves the house in the morning he rushes into the garage owned by his dad hoping that human interaction would be low. Yet with the looming new year only hours away he knew that it was never going to be easy to avoid contact. </p><p>As soon as he was in overalls on he got to work under the car that had been sat waiting, staring back at him for the last few days, the working between Christmas and New Years almost nonexistent on normal years yet the desperation of the lady on the phone and the emptiness of Ben’s plans was enough to encourage him in, the knowing that at some point that night he would fall into the house of some guy and be gone by the early hours, of the first of month ahead, starting the year as he planned to continue. </p><p>The tools clinking around him as he fiddled with the underneath, removing and then replacing parts all over the place and he questioned how the woman had managed to even drive it to him. </p><p>“Ben” his dad calls out, sitting down in the chair Ben had been earlier that morning “she’s worrying that you are going off tonight doing all those things she doesn’t like” he tells him, clocking his eyes with Ben’s “and” Ben questions back, knowing that he hated his family poking around in his relationship and sexual life, to him that was for him and him only “well maybe you should go talk to Kathy and sort it out with her, don’t get yourself killed but you can do whatever” he told him, getting up and walking back out, leaving Ben in a state of confusion before turning back to the car and securing the last part into place, getting back up and then popping open the bonnet and starting to work on that, the not wanting to let Kathy down prominent in his mind, but he would sort that in his break. </p><p>It’s at that point his phone rings, the all too familiar guy's number popping up, and it takes everything in him to ignore it, and to go back to working. Filling and emptying all sorts of containers, with a variety of liquids, the idea of a satisfied customer the only thing getting him through the day. </p><p> </p><p>—</p><p>By the time lunch came round he was noticeably hungry, skipping breakfast to get the job done as early as he possibly could. He dropped by Kathy’s for lunch knowing that if he didn’t she would physically take herself to see him and that made everything more and more complicated, “I’ll have whatever you are cooking” he motioned towards the cooker where she was stood stirring something in the saucepan, “about tonight” she called after him, where he had immediately gone to place himself down on the sofa, “what about it” he returned waiting for the lecture “don’t go being stupid, I don’t want you to start the new year being hurt or in someone else’s bed, stay home and we can do something here as a family” she offered up “you and dad or just me and you because neither sounds too entertaining” he shook his head, “look there isn’t anyone that I’m going to see tonight, or at least there was but dad said you were bothered so i cancelled on him ok” he continued, with a huff. Kathy going back to the kitchen and plating them both up some lunch, before returning back to him, continuing the conversation about work. </p><p>He’d only been back to work about an hour when it happened, the slam of the bonnet paired with a slight bang just outside the doors, catching the man out of the corner of his eye, the pole in front of him before stumbling backwards slightly, and catching his own stumbling, Ben rushing over to the man “what just happened” he asked him, the immediate height difference finding his way into his mind, and the immediate regret sets in “oh nothing I’m fine” the taller spoke, blood starting to form in multiple areas over his face “you definitely aren’t, let me just close this up and I’m going to sort you out” he smiles softly, noticing the tears forming in the tallers eyes “Ben” he offered out his hand, “Callum” the taller spoke, taking hold of Ben’s hand momentarily and then pulling away. </p><p>He shows him the way back to his house, knowing that Phil would most likely be at the vic they were completely alone for Ben to patch him up and send him back off into the streets, they held a silence the whole time, and Ben almost couldn’t believe he was letting a random man into his house, and especially right now. </p><p>As soon as they were settled in Ben showed him the way to the sofa, grabbing him a glass of water and the first aid box Phil kept stored away for whenever Ben had gotten into a situation that he needed it for. </p><p>He pulled out some wipes, knowing to know the full extent of the damage caused he would have to remove the blood that was starting to dry against his face, small amounts having dropped down to his grey hoodie “it may sting a little” he warns before using one hand to hold Callums head still before using the other to wipe at the spots that had been pierced open by the sharpness of the sign. Callum winced into his touch, the light rubbing at the spots and then pulling away to another spot, noticing the tears forming in the sides of his eyes “I’m almost done” he smiled lightly “why did you stop and help” he asks, some of the very few words Ben had heard him speak “because you were clearly in pain and no one else was going to help you, couldn’t have you put walking the streets looking like that” he smiled pulling out another wipe and washing it over the remaining splashes of blood. </p><p>“So did you have plans for tonight you know it being New Years, probably shouldn’t hold you up any longer” Ben tells him, packing away the box and returning it to the kitchen “nothing at all, just the same old sitting in my flat alone, probably drinking too much” he laughed, as Ben walked back into the room returning next to him, “you” he looks into Ben’s eyes properly and all he can see is oceans travelling all around the world,”I had plans but mum made me cancel them” he said so openly, “you can stay if you want to” he offers up to him, “Ben, I don’t want to ruin your family space for the night” he smiles shyly, “dad’s out for the night and mum doesn’t live here so I have some beers in the fridge, a tv and no one to share it with if you did want to” “I mean I’d like to know you better so I guess that’s not such a bad idea” Callum confirms, taking one of Ben’s hands into his own “thank you” he smiles once again, before turning away slightly. </p><p>The stayed like that a while, Ben turning on the tv for them to to decide on what they wanted to watch, him finding out very quickly that they had very similar taste in shows. </p><p>“You not spending time with your partner then” Callum asked Ben turning to him “Unless this is your way of asking me to date you then um no, I don’t have one, just single Ben around here” he laughs, “oh” he looks down, the immediate regret noticeable, pink flushing on his cheeks “you want to date me” Ben places his hand under Callums chin to pull his face upwards “well I don’t know, you seem lovely and-” be breaks off to Ben’s touch behind his head “may I” he questions, them both fully aware of where this is going, a nod from Callum is all Ben needs to push himself forward, lips crashing together into the darkness of their closed eyes, Ben’s thumbs rubbing at the skin by his ears. Before pulling away and watching Callum's face for a reaction “wow” he breathes out, pushing forward again into another short kiss. </p><p>They both sat for a few moments after, not fully knowing where to go next, the only light was that from the tv, their faces only cm away and Ben’s hands still in Callums hair, “save me one of those for midnight” Ben smiles, Callums head dipping down onto his chest, and something in both of them can’t believe that they are in this situation, confessing love to a man he only met hours ago, the lack of knowledge of each other, just an instant trust brought them together. </p><p>As soon as it approached midnight, the tv starting the countdown the only sound they needed to have their hands intertwined, and on the count of two Callum pushed himself forward, immediately crashing into Ben’s lips that met him, holding onto the moment as fireworks crashed and popped around them. </p><p>“Sorry I couldn’t save your jumper” he joked as he pulled away “no but you did save me” Callum laughed into another kiss, pulling away and taking a drink from the bottle in front of him. </p><p>This may have been the best New Years he had ever experienced, the cuts still sore but he gained Ben into his life and that was more important than anything else.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for reading, there may be a sequel to this at some point. </p><p>As it’s new year I do want to say thank you for everything this year, every single hit and kudos have been so appreciated.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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